The hardest part of cruising
To quote one of our friends…
“That’s the hardest part of cruising…leaving people behind or having them leave. You get better at saying good-bye, but never good at it.”
Although we’ve only just started our cruising journey, we can already see just how true the above statement is. We’ve had some great times here in the Chesapeake with our friends Kirk and Donna and they’ve taken great care of us. We were very sad to cast off from their dock at O-dark-30 this morning, but it really was time to move on. We’re really looking forward to once again rafting up to their Lagoon, only next time, it’ll be in the clear blue waters of the BVIs!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7cgxqVR9Vo&feature=related
🙂
People outside the cruising world just dont understand…..Cruising is just as much about the people as it is about the boat and destinations……My dad always says “why dont you play more golf”……………My answer, “the people are just different and I have nothing in common with them”…………On a golf course I have nothing in common with a lawyer, at the dock, I have everything in common and will even have beers with him……Safe passage to your next destination…
Thanks John. Nice comment.
You’re right! It is difficult leaving friends – old or new. But we’ve found that we meet cruising friends again, and again. And we make new friends all the time – and they don’t replace the old friends, they supplement them.
We try to exchange boat cards with everyone we meet, and we meet so many. Suzi always writes on the back of the card where we met them, so when we see them again it helps jog our aging memories.
You enjoy your trip south, we’ll enjoy your blog. We haven’t met you yet – but I’m sure we will.
If this is your first trip down the ICW be sure to read our “How to run the ICW without running aground.” on Frugal-Mariner.com.
Hi Larry. Thanks, both for the tip on your article (looking it up now) and for the comments about friends!
So true. So true. A wise sailor once said to me: ” Its is easy to come and go. The hard thing is to remember.”
Nice. I’m also just checking out your website, galleyswap.com. It looks good; thanks for posting.
Good luck on the ICW! The journey south is pretty darn fun. Enjoy!
Thanks a lot Alexei!
I don’t think I’ve ever met a sailing cruiser I couldn’t talk to. Within a few minutes, we would find experiences and strengths and weaknesses in common. And we would care about those stories and those admissions and discoveries.
I travel a lot in my work, and some of the best times are when I eat in a local diner. It gives you a taste of the place, not always sweet but genuine.
There’s an old Girl Scout (Girl Guides for you Canadians!) that goes : Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold”. It’s true in all walks of life, I find. So you will make lots of new friends, and meet the old ones again and again. And you’re right, that is one of the joys of cruising. Enjoy your continued cruising!
Hey! That’s Garry’s Grill! Good food with awesome desserts!
Our old house was about 5 miles away.
BTW, if you see a Maine Cat 41 called Varekai, my wife, Susan, is aboard doing a delivery trip to the Bahamas.
Fair Winds,
Mike
Varekai just anchored directly in front of us. 🙂
I was going to yell something to her as they motored by but she was in the cockpit with the enclosure up around her.
Hi – we really agree. But it’s a lot easier now, we think. We didn’t really take off till well after email but talking/reading people who took off before, say, 1995, they were far more cut off and had to be far more self-contained. On the other hand there wasn’t the expectation of writing a blog so often …
Yes, most certainly email and the web have changed things, for the better I believe.
Mike,
There is a really good discussion of equalizing batteries on this site; http://www.morganscloud.com/ . Maybe you already know the site, but if you don’t its a great source of tech data and discussions. Although I’m still a bit confused about the battery equalization deal.
Enjoy your travels and be safe. In the 40’s here this morning with big wind and rain on its way. One place on the island (NL) called the Wreckhouse is predicted to have 130 km winds later today….about 85 mph! Ouch.
Fair winds,
Jay
SV Screech
Hants Harbour, Newfoundland
Hi Jay
I am familiar with that site and I read that info. It is partly what freaked me out. 🙂
85 MPH! Now THAT is scary!!!